Alice in Wonderland Demonstrates Various Drug Use

So you all remember last week when I brought you a series of GIFs demonstrating various mental disorders via Winnie the Pooh characters. That was from artist Matthew Wilkinson (warning graphic content on site), and he’s actually done another series that I think is even better.

Everyone has always thought of Alice in Wonderland as some sort of allegory for a super ridiculous drug trip, but these GIFs demonstrate just how many substances are actually covered in the story. Granted, some weren’t even invented when the story was written, but it’s hard to unsee all of these once you realize they’re there.

Check out the full GIF gallery below, and Matthew, I look forward to seeing what your next project like this will be.

About The Author

Paul

I think I'm a part of the first generation of journalists to skip print media entirely, and I've learned a lot these last few years at Forbes. My work has appeared on TVOvermind, IGN, and most importantly, a segment on The Colbert Report at one point.

24 Comments

I’m not going to act like there aren’t some parallels that can be made here and there, but the story was composed as a response to the infallibility of logic. It’s often oversimplified into a drug trip, but I think that does a disservice to Carroll and Disney.

I’ve always thought of Alice in Wonderland as a metaphor for various mental illness. The drug references are definitely there, though and have been expanded upon by musicians, writers, philosophers (“one pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small), I think they go hand in hand. Stimulants/SSRI’s or Depressants/Valium etc.

The actual novel was written by a mathematician who was against the new radical changes in mathematics in the time. Alice represents Charles Dodgson (Carroll’s real name) in a field of his peers who were thinking in a much more radical nature than he was. Thus the distortions in perception and the idea that the inhabitants of Wonderland were mad (I know I’m oversimplifying this).

That being said, I can see how the movie get’s interpreted as being influenced by drug use. It does a good job of paralleling a (LSD in particular) trip that starts out fun, but wears out it’s welcome and eventually leaves the user crying and longing for a return to normalcy. This might not have been the main point they were trying to get across, but it also wasn’t the first or last time a Disney movie could have been said to have been influenced by drug use (the woods scene where Snow White flees, ALL of Fantasia).

Alice In WoNder LanD Syndrom: Alice falling through a rabbit-hole and finding herself in a silly and nonsense world. A girl maturing away from home in what seems to be a world ruled by chaos & quite frightening. She generally gave herself good advice though she very seldom followed it. Many short comments point to teenage recklessness, restlessness and anxiety in all its different forms. It’s impossible to obey the rules of the Wonderland — or is it adulthood? “Everything is so out-of-the-way down here”, as Alice often repeats to herself. The quote “Everyone in Wonderland is mad, otherwise they wouldn’t be down here”. A disorienting neurological condition that affects size distortion of other sensory modalities. Can Drugs take us down a rabbit hole?? Perhaps we should take the advice of Janice Hoplin if you go chasing rabbits And you know you’re going to fall
Tell ’em a hookah smoking caterpillar Has given you the call ~ logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen’s “off with her head!” Remember what the dormouse said: “Feed your head” A Significant Mad Tea Party ~ The King and the Queen of hearts are a prevalent fear & form of social control, they abuse their power!!! Their justice system seem to be governed by fools…The White Rabbit is running late for a very important date ~ Take some more tea ~ Alice in Wonderland’ has a recurring metaphor: a place of madness through the eyes of society, Wonderland as a journey to true wisdom ~ to many, it may seem like it is easier to remain in reality and never follow the White Rabbit.

Hi! I was wondering HOW I can add this to my tumblr? I tried, but I only one PICTURE, and not the GIF? I new to this. But I love this! It is my favourite site on the whole friggin web! So please, if anyone has the answer to this I would be eternally gratefull.

Merry christmas everybody 😉 And soon, a happy new year to you all!
Much love from Norway !

to that guy finch.. Speed and crystal meth are two diffrent drugs. speed is like meds for ADD or ADHD people who take those drugs without being diagnosed will speed u up like coke. but tweekers on meth are completely different.

Remember that while the book may have been one thing, the Disney movie may have been something entirely different. And though some of the drugs in this gif photo set are clearly a stretch, the entire Disney movie seems saturated in psychedelic references. I think Alice eating mushrooms is pretty self-evident. Tons of LSD as well.

Are you sure they were HIGH? Maybe they weren’t HIGH. Maybe they experienced something that you haven’t, and have a broader view of life and ones’ thoughts by doing drugs, and have seen the truth. Something that you will never even begin to understand because you are so narrow minded with your existence. Life is like a tunnel, death is at the end of it. Do you stay straight and head for death, or explore the tunnel with the time you’ve been given?